Universality

Action Plan to Promote the Universality of the Chemical Weapons Convention (Excerpts)

In accordance with the decision of the First Review Conference, the Chairman of the Executive Council appointed a facilitator, Ms Consuelo Femenía of Spain, to assist with the preparation by the Council of an action plan designed to promote the universality of the Convention whose objectives would be: (a) to further encourage, in a systematic and coordinated manner, adherence to the Convention; and (b) to assist States ready to join the Convention in their national preparations for implementing it.

The Action Plan was adopted during the 23rd Meeting of the Executive Council, held on 24 October 2003.

Some of the items mentioned in the Action Plan include:

Strongly supports the designation of “points of contact” by States Parties, on a voluntary and informal basis, in all regions and sub-regions relevant for the effective promotion of universality, to assist regularly in the implementation of this Action Plan and for the purposes of effective coordination;
Recommends that the Director-General should designate an officer of the External Relations Division to act as the focal point within the Technical Secretariat for the implementation of this Action Plan and for the purposes of effective coordination;
Requests the Technical Secretariat, having consulted with States Parties, to prepare a comprehensive annual document on planned universality-related activities, and to provide information to the Council on proposed initiatives, including on potential synergies with States Parties willing and able to join in universality-related efforts. The document should contemplate and systematise activities in which the Technical Secretariat has traditionally engaged and, if deemed appropriate, formulate new universalityoriented projects. The document should set indicative targets for increased membership. In particular, the document could include:

(a) measures envisaged by the Technical Secretariat to assist States ready to join the Convention in their national preparations for implementing it;

(b)bilateral assistance visits;

(c) bilateral meetings with States not Party not represented in The Hague, as well as those represented in The Hague, and other activities of participation support and outreach;

(d) regional and sub-regional seminars and workshops;

(e) international cooperation activities which might include States in the process of ratifying or acceding to the Convention;

(f) measures to increase awareness of the Convention, and of the work of the OPCW, including publications in official languages, as well as measures to reach the appropriate audience in States not Party; and

(g) attendance at meetings of, or joint activities with, relevant international and regional organisations;

Strongly encourages States Parties to strengthen their efforts in the promotion of universality of the Convention, to actively pursue this objective, as appropriate, in their contacts with States not Party, and to seek the cooperation of relevant international and regional organisations;
Requests the Director-General to submit to the Conference at its regular sessions an annual report on the implementation of the Action Plan, and to keep the Council regularly informed, so that the Conference and the Council may review progress and monitor its implementation effectively;
Recommends that the Conference decide to review, at its Tenth Session, the implementation of this Action Plan, and take any decisions deemed necessary.